Archived New team member questions

[mousegirll]

Hello, I'm new to target and I just had my first full day of work on Friday 9/25. I first did some online quizzes for a few hours that had nothing to do with my position as a cashier. Then I was sent to watch a cashier for 10 minutes and then I was put to work on my own cash register. I received basically no training and had to ask a team member for help every 5 minutes, is this normal?
On my "training" paper schedule, I was scheduled to work again next Saturday 8/2 (over an entire week later). But I was called the following day on 9/26 and asked why I wasn't at work. Turns out they entered my schedule incorrectly but I agreed to come in for a full day's work anyway.
Well today, Sunday 9/27, they call me at 9 am asking if I can work today but I told them could not as I had plans and apologized. I'm also a full time student at college and really needed today for completing homework and such. I'm just wondering if it was bad for me to say I couldn't come into work today? Could they fire me for this because I'm on the 90 day probation period? Am I going to have to expect them to call me into work everyday? I would like to have at least a little free time..
I was hired as a part-time cashier. Any tips for a target newbie are appreciated! Thanks!

 

[redeye58]

Welcome to the red & white asylum.
You can NOT be disciplined for refusing a shift you weren't scheduled for.
If they call & ask you to come in for future shifts, always answer & tell them you have a conflict if you're unable to come in. If you're able to come in occasionally, they'll appreciate it but you don't have to do it EVERY SINGLE TIME unless you're desperate for hours.
I'd double-check your training schedule with HR to avoid missing any other shifts.
Inadequate training? Sadly, that's become Target's SOP these days.

 

[commiecorvus]

If they were asking you if you could come in and you couldn't, it's not a problem.
It looks good for you if you can but otherwise no big deal.
Yes, if they are shorthanded or whoever does the schedule consistently screws it up, they will call you to see if you can come in.
It's one of the fun parts of working for Spot.

The other fun part, depending on your store, is getting crappy training.
Since they are shorthanded and probably don't have a decent training program in place, what you got is about it.
The rest you'll have to pick up on the fly.
We have have a good section with a lot of info on the various aspect of being a cashier, just use the search.

That said, welcome to The Break Room.

 

[Jiminy]

My cashier training was pretty thorough actually, but we have a really... "passionate" GSTL that trained me. There are some things he left out that I had to learn eventually. So they didn't even teach you how to register someone for a Redcard? That's very weird.

You'll get used to it. It took be a couple of days to get used to working the register. But I still have to call for help once in a while (last time I had to call the GSTL because the guest's card wasn't working).

 

[mousegirll]

Thanks for the help everyone! Yea my target seems like they have no idea what to do with new hires. I haven't been asking customers about the red card because I have no idea how to sign people up for it! A customer also had this paper that said "WCI" or some other acronym starting with a "W". And I had no idea what to do with it.. Another cashier took over for it and said he would show me later but never did. I've even had other customers in line help show me how to process checks, coupons, etc. I'm hoping I'll learn everything through trial and error eventually..

 

[commiecorvus]

It was probably WIC which is a federal program for mothers to get food.
It is a little complicated but not something that would be too hard to train you on.
Sad that they are doing such a piss poor job.

 

[SnorlaxTM]

My cashier training was pretty thorough actually, but we have a really... "passionate" GSTL that trained me. There are some things he left out that I had to learn eventually. So they didn't even teach you how to register someone for a Redcard? That's very weird.

You'll get used to it. It took be a couple of days to get used to working the register. But I still have to call for help once in a while (last time I had to call the GSTL because the guest's card wasn't working).

I didn't get taught that either, man that was a fun trial and error. Not to mention every step of the way the "guest" was pretty much finding every single swear/slur under the sun to call me so that was fun.

But as for your "training" that does seem to be the norm lately, try partnering with someone (like the GSA/GSTL) to receive adequate training. Ask about Tax Exemptions, Redcard Applications, how to open security devices, what Cartwheel is, Coupon Policy/Fraud, and how to ring up clothing with no price tag. I think really those were all the "big" issues I had after my "training" aka playing on a register for a while and watching other cashiers before getting hands on.

 

[redeye58]

Be careful with 'helpful' guests, especially with coupons.
Coupon scammers always head for new/inexperienced cashiers & 'help' them process their coupons.
They'll tell you that as long as it scans, it's OK when what they're doing is using them for non-legit purchases.
Or telling you how to override denied coupons so they use countless coupons on each item.
Check with your GSA/GSTL on policy & if another 'helpful' guest gives you a stack of coupons, tell them "Sorry, I'm new" & turn on your blinker for help.

 

[SnorlaxTM]

Forgot to mention, always mark those $50s and $100s with the counterfeit markers if you got them! I've noticed way to many new TMs not mark bills or even use the pen. No clue how successful those things are at catching fraudulent bills, but at the very least you can say you marked it.

 

[Kartman]

We don't use them.

 

[squirrely]

Your training sounds typical. When I trained for cashiering, I watched literally two transactions from another cashier, and then I was on my own. WIC is complicated and you should ask for help from a GSA until you feel comfortable to do it on your own.

As for red cards, there should be pamphlets in the pull out drawer. Some for credit and some for debit. Remember, they need a blank check to sign up for a debit card. All you do is scan the barcode on the pamphlet, give it to the guest, and the pay pad wall walk them through the rest.

 

[OffYaPhone]

Forgot to mention, always mark those $50s and $100s with the counterfeit markers if you got them! I've noticed way to many new TMs not mark bills or even use the pen. No clue how successful those things are at catching fraudulent bills, but at the very least you can say you marked it.

I've been with Spot since April and I *still* don't know how to use those things.

 

[Jack of all Workcenters]

I've been with Spot since April and I *still* don't know how to use those things.

I'm surprised there are stores still using the markers, they allegedly don't work on the new bills and won't alert you to bills that have been upgraded to a higher value.

 

[PassinTime]

I'm surprised there are stores still using the markers, they allegedly don't work on the new bills and won't alert you to bills that have been upgraded to a higher value.

My store uses the markers. During BTS we had one particular day where we still took in 5 counterfeit bills, 3 of which were bleached bills. I used to hold bills ( 50s and 100s) up to the light to check for the other security features, but my GSTL told me not to do that. I know that AP doesn't do anything about the counterfeit bills. My brother does loss prevention for a local PD and he is frustrated beyond belief with the AP at the local Target because there is no follow through on bogus bills and cashier don't check for the security features. Why bother calling the police???

 

[Retail Girl]

My store uses the markers. During BTS we had one particular day where we still took in 5 counterfeit bills, 3 of which were bleached bills. I used to hold bills ( 50s and 100s) up to the light to check for the other security features, but my GSTL told me not to do that. I know that AP doesn't do anything about the counterfeit bills. My brother does loss prevention for a local PD and he is frustrated beyond belief with the AP at the local Target because there is no follow through on bogus bills and cashier don't check for the security features. Why bother calling the police???

Of course. The pens won't catch the bleached bills. That's why they bleach the bills. We are supposed to use the machines. Half of our cashiers use them, the other half ignore them. Whatever.

 

[PassinTime]

Of course. The pens won't catch the bleached bills. That's why they bleach the bills. We are supposed to use the machines. Half of our cashiers use them, the other half ignore them. Whatever.

What machines? ??

 

[redeye58]

Currency checkers.
Our store never got 'em.

 

[Firefox]

I'm with Redeye on this, our store never got any currency checkers. We still use the pens, although half of the registers don't even have them. We end up with a lot of counterfeit bills.

 

[NPC]

I'm with Redeye on this, our store never got any currency checkers. We still use the pens, although half of the registers don't even have them. We end up with a lot of counterfeit bills.

Those pens are worthless. On a "good" counterfeit, the pens will mark them as "passed." However, I think even good counterfeits are still easy to spot. Smell, texture, weight of the paper, detail of the ink, watermark quality, the reflective 100 on the corner...I don't even need the bill scanner, I can always tell immediately. But they're good for shutting up the scammer when they try and make you take the money.

 

[buliSBI]

I first did some online quizzes for a few hours that had nothing to do with my position as a cashier. Then I was sent to watch a cashier for 10 minutes and then I was put to work on my own cash register. I received basically no training and had to ask a team member for help every 5 minutes, is this normal?

This is common now a days. It used to be that you would practice on a POS for a short time, shadow a senior cashier for a bit, then the senior cashier would watch you, then you fully on. Then it went to reading a manual then jumping on. To no real training.

On my "training" paper schedule, I was scheduled to work again next Saturday 8/2 (over an entire week later). But I was called the following day on 9/26 and asked why I wasn't at work. Turns out they entered my schedule incorrectly but I agreed to come in for a full day's work anyway.

Take a lesson from this. Never trust the schedule in computer or posted schedule. The posted schedule is supposedly is what you go by. But schedules will be changed or edits never approved or posted. Get in the habit of documenting your posted schedule so you can have something to say you were not scheduled.

Well today, Sunday 9/27, they call me at 9 am asking if I can work today but I told them could not as I had plans and apologized. I'm also a full time student at college and really needed today for completing homework and such. I'm just wondering if it was bad for me to say I couldn't come into work today? Could they fire me for this because I'm on the 90 day probation period? Am I going to have to expect them to call me into work everyday? I would like to have at least a little free time..

They can't use it against you. You can only be coached for shifts you missed that you were scheduled. But it does help show you are team player.

 

[FlexedDiva]

You're lucky, I wasn't even trained. Due to our store just being built and registers weren't connected yet. They just let me look over a cashier hand book and called it a day. I've made alot of mistakes but it was worth it.

 

[TricksterGirl]

Regarding the Counterfeit bills...
did no one teach you guys how to read the new bills? I dont know if you're allowed to check the large bills in store, as it may look silly, but at my old job we had to because pens don't work that well.
The purple strip on a $100 also doesn't guarantee its not fake. Though, most larger bills should be obvious if they are fake. Its the smaller ones ($5 and $10s) that are harder to tell with.